Silence in the Snow
by Vilinye
Summary: After the Racnoss invasion, the Doctor goes to visit an old friend on New Year's Eve.   Pre-Sarah Jane Adventures; between Christmas Invasion and Smith & Jones for Doctor Who.


Sarah Jane Smith uncorked a bottle of ginger ale, watching as the golden brew foamed into her glass. She glanced at the clock: 11:10. BBC1 was replaying footage of the "special fireworks," but a quick scan by Mr. Smith confirmed it to be a Racnoss vessel. The snow that came down afterwards was almost completely melted, but it brought back such beautiful memories. All those beautiful planets she had visited…

Sarah Jane's head drooped towards her chest. In the moment before her eyes closed, she thought she heard something outside. _Vroom…vroom..._just like the old days with the TARDIS. Then there was another sound, like crickets on an electric guitar. The front door opened.

"Shut the door," she mumbled. "Who's there?"

"I thought I'd just invite myself in."

Sarah Jane opened her eyes. "Doctor?" She blinked and sat up. "I thought I locked the door."

"You did. But never trust a lock when a man with a sonic screwdriver is around. Hello, Sarah." The Doctor sat down on the couch across from her. "Remind me, what year is this?"

"New Year's Eve, 2007." Sarah reached for the ginger ale. "I can get you a glass if you'd like."

"Ginger ale? Don't you have anything stronger?"

"I don't want you trying to pilot the TARDIS drunk," Sarah Jane exclaimed. "Just wait a moment." She ran out and came back with another glass. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, I guess. " The Doctor took the glass. "Met a ginger in the TARDIS, saved the world from some red spiders…tried to avoid a Christmas tree." He glanced over at Sarah Jane's tree. "You haven't let any robots by that, have you?" Despite her reassurance, he continued to stare at it.

"So, we can thank you for that fantastic fireworks display?" Sarah Jane smiled.

He stared at the glass. "Well, me and one very ginger temp. With a temper to match." Sarah Jane didn't answer. Finally, the Doctor set down the glass and glanced at the television. "Just a few minutes until 2008."

"Doctor, you've been millions of years into the future and past across the galaxies. What's so special about 2008?"

He shrugged. "I don't know; it's something new! Come on, Sarah, let's have a toast!" He took the bottle of ginger ale and topped off their glasses. "To…"

"To old friendships."

"To old friendships," The Doctor repeated as he raised the glass to his lips. But his vision blurred as memories filled his eyes. The ginger stung the lump in his throat; a tear slipped out of his left eye. The television screen filled with images of dancing people, but neither he nor Sarah were paying attention anymore. "Rose Tyler," her name slipped from his lips as he set down the glass.

"Canary Wharf," Sarah Jane turned off the television, not looking at him. "Six months ago. "

"Two days." Perhaps time can heal all wounds, but not when the salve is so thinly applied. The Doctor turned and looked out the window.

"I saw the list of the dead." Sarah Jane took his hand. He squeezed it tightly, grateful for the reminder that he wasn't alone. "How did she die? She was so young."

"Nineteen."

**Some things are worth getting your heart broken for.** But none of them could have seen that the Doctor would pay too. His chest heaved in silent sobs, but no tears dripped from his eyes. Sarah Jane took his other hand and waited.

"She's not dead. She's trapped in a parallel world. I couldn't even—" He turned and looked at Sarah Jane. "I couldn't even say goodbye. I tried. I had to orbit a supernova to send the message. But it cut off before I could tell her—"

Sarah Jane didn't say anything. There wasn't anything to say.

He looked out the window. "Happy New Year. "

"Happy New Year."

"Would you like to go on a short trip with me? How does Florana sound? I promised you a trip there once, didn't I?"

"Tempting. " She laughed. "But no, Doctor. I have to live my own life. So do you. Find someone else. But if I got on, even for just one trip…I'd never get off."

The Doctor picked up his glass. "I'll drop this off in the kitchen for you. Don't worry about the door, I'll make sure it's locked before I leave."

"You don't have a key—oh, right, the sonic." Sarah Jane laughed. "Goodbye, Doctor."

But the only answer was the front door shutting, then the familiar grinding noise of the TARDIS dematerializing. Sarah Jane ran to the window, but all she saw was a small cloud of dust blowing in the wind. "Goodbye, Doctor," she whispered again.


End file.
